When sweater weather arrives, we all know what that means—it’s pumpkin-spice time. Whether you’re ready for it or not, pumpkin spice season is upon us (sorry, flip-flop fans) and clearly if fall was a flavor in America it would be this one. You’ll likely notice that every coffee shop is now brewing up a pumpkin spice latte of one kind or another and a bounty of pumpkin spice foods are popping up on grocery store shelves ranging from PSL Twinkies to pumpkin spice cream cheese to pumpkin-flavored cereal. A flavor profile that makes us feel all warm and cozy.
It’s important to know that actual pumpkin spice is pretty darn healthy for you. That’s because the spices that go into making this much-loved flavor profile including cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon contain compounds that can help keep you in peak health. For instance, some research suggests going bigger with cinnamon can improve blood sugar control, while cloves are bursting with antioxidant activity.
While the warming mix of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg is certainly enticing and healthy, many of the seasonal products that contain them are sadly nutritional landmines. You’ll want to jump into a pile of leaves just to try to hide from their mischievous ways. Before you toss that pumpkin product into your cart, turn that label around and take a closer look at the nutritional makeup. Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for products:
Healthy Tips To Enjoy Pumpkin Spice Latte Year-Round
Make sure it contains spices: Some products claim to be flavored with pumpkin spice when in reality they are made with lab-created flavorings that mimic the seasonal taste but provide none of the health advantages of the real deal. You want to see at least one of the following spices in the ingredient list: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, or cardamom.
Watch out for the Sweet Stuff: It should not come as a big surprise that many of the pumpkin-spiced lattes, cold brews and other drinks out there are akin to drinking liquid sugar. I’ve seen a pumpkin-flavored hot chocolate drink that has nearly 30 grams of sugar in a serving. That will certainly warm you up with a massive sugar rush. Grab hold of a medium-sized Dairy Queen Pumpkin Pie Blizzard and your system will be sucker punched with a staggering 87 grams of sugar (do you even want to know how much of the sweet stuff the large size contains?) But many other non-drink products on the market including pumpkin spice cookies and bars also hit an excessively sweet note. Do your best to find options with 8 grams or less of sugar per serving.
Seek out protein: If you are using a pumpkin-spiced product for a snack or breakfast option it can be a good idea to make sure it contains some protein so that it’s more satiating and also helps with muscle building. Too many products are simply protein lightweights. Let’s say that 5 grams or more protein in a serving is a good number to shoot for.
There are so many pumpkin-spiced flavored products hitting store shelves as the seasons turn, making it hard to choose. If you’re all in for pumpkin spice, here are some of your better options that won’t upend your diet. ‘Tis the season, right? Clean Simple Eats Protein Pumpkin Pie
Grab your best flannel and whip up a muscle-making smoothie with this no-sugar-added whey protein powder that is beefed up with gut-friendly prebiotics. Go ahead and stir a scoop into your morning oatmeal for a seasonal protein boost.
Grab your best flannel and whip up a muscle-making smoothie with this no-sugar-added whey protein powder that is beefed up with gut-friendly prebiotics. Go ahead and stir a scoop into your morning oatmeal for a seasonal protein boost.
Think of this toast-worthy spread as nut butter on steroids. It’s made with a shrewd mix of cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts, flax and chia seeds for a big dose of healthy fats and vital micronutrients. Plus, real spices. The ingenious upside-down jar allows you to easily stir in the separated oils. Beyond smearing on your morning toast, you can blend into smoothies or thin it with some milk and maple syrup for a delicious pancake drizzle.
Think of this as the cozy sweater of the yogurt world. Each seasonal yogurt container supplies 11 grams of protein to show your muscles some love and none of the sugar found in most flavored yogurts. Also, a nice range of probiotics to aid with digestive and immune health. Rx Bar Pumpkin Spice
These bars for the season are made with ingredients you would generally find in your own kitchen including dates, almonds and pumpkin, and they have a texture of chewy caramel. Egg whites are a genius whole food approach to boosting protein numbers – 12 grams in each bar. Just the right amount of cinnamon flavor pops through. Bonus: no added sugars, which is very rare in the energy bar world.
Add creamy richness to coffee, hot cocoa or even oatmeal with this low-fat dairy-free creamer made from oat milk and hemp cream. One of the only options on the market with no added emulsifiers or oils and a special processing method preserves more of the nutrition of the base ingredients. Kudos for containing just a single gram of sugar in a serving so you won’t be drinking liquid candy.
This convenient gluten-free mix is made with almond flour instead of much less nutritious white flour as well as real pumpkin and organic spices. Each stack of pancakes starts your day off with a good balance of fat, protein and carbs. The same can’t be said for what you will get at the local IHOP. You can stir some protein powder into the batter to up the amount of this muscle-sculpting macro.
This is your answer to an ultra-quick breakfast nosh that is perfect for those crisp fall mornings. Each packet is filled with whole-grain oats, 20 grams of plant-based protein, pumpkin powder, nutrient-dense seeds and warming spices including cardamom and ginger for a nearly complete nutrition package. This is certainly not your standard instant oatmeal. Just add your milk of choice and let soak overnight.
Take a little edge off the chill by curling up with a steamy mug of this organic herbal tea blend of rooibos, turmeric and cinnamon. Made using leaves from a shrub called Aspalathus linearis which is usually grown on the western coast of South Africa, rooibos has been shown to possess strong antioxidant activity. Turmeric provides another dose of health-boosting antioxidant firepower. The tea is caffeine free so a great option for hydrating at night.
Kick off your day with these bite-sized waffles made with a nutritious mix of pumpkin, whole grain wheat flour, eggs, honey, almonds, pecans and cinnamon. Try slathering some nut butter on a toasted waffle and then top with another waffle for a transportable breakfast waffle sandwich.
When you just need something little to take the edge off hunger, try this seasonal flavored whole grain oat snack. Also a great pre-gym nibble for an energy boost. Chosen Foods Pumpkin Spice Avocado Oil Spray
You can spritz it into a frying pan, muffin tray or waffle maker to infuse anything you are cooking such as pancakes with a hint of pumpkin spice flavor. Or use it as a coating for a heap of mixed nuts or cubes of sweet potato that you’ll roast in the oven. With a high smoke point and lofty levels of heart-helping monounsaturated fat, avocado oil is one of the best and underappreciated cooking oils around.
This oat-free crunch bunch is bursting with pumpkin flavor and nutrition. All those almonds, pecans, pepitas and sunflower seeds deliver a good dose of beneficial fats and micronutrients to help power you through the big chill. A great road trip snack option for the holiday season, too.
Move over, hummus, this velvety-smooth dessert dip made with Neufchatel cheese, pumpkin puree and Greek yogurt is ready to welcome apple slices, crackers and tortilla chips when a hero workout has left you craving something creamy, crunchy and sweet all at once.
Skip the line-up at Starbucks by brewing up this ready-in-a-flash latte made with freeze-dried coffee powder (a process that maintains a more robust coffee flavor), pumpkin, coconut milk powder for creamy richness and medicinal mushrooms that provide a little immune support. Like drinking a caffeinated pumpkin pie in a cup. Simply Organic Pumpkin Spice
From oatmeal to smoothies to pancakes to roasted squash, whenever you want to infuse something with pumpkin spice flavor reach for a jar of this aromatic mixture of organic cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove. Pro tip: sprinkle some of the spice mixture into your own brewed coffee to sidestep the nutritional baggage that sullies most pumpkin spice drinks and also save yourself some cash in the process.
